


Wrapping Gone Wrong

by alecmagnuslwb



Series: The Immortal Inquisitor and High Warlock of Alicante [4]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, M/M, Post-Canon, they're just so married and in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-09-20 09:59:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17020542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alecmagnuslwb/pseuds/alecmagnuslwb
Summary: Wrapping presents is a skill that seems to evade Magnus.





	Wrapping Gone Wrong

**Author's Note:**

> I'm aware that in canon it's likely neither Alec or Magnus would celebrate Christmas in the religious sense, but I do think it's plausible Magnus, who's lived a long damn time, has picked up on some of the non-religious traditions and celebrates it that way like we do in my family so yeah, here's this fluff.
> 
> edit: since I started my post-canon Malec series, and this was one of two I'd written before the show ended, I decided to rework it a bit to fit in with the rest!

Magnus Bane can move his entire home with a wave of his hands. He can burn demons to a crisp with the snap of his fingers. He can conjure up anything that his mind’s eye desires with a breeze of magic; which is exactly why he’s so incredibly frustrated with the wrapping paper in front of him right now.

Alec does it without a care in the world every year, so precise that it looks professionally done. But Alec’s in Romania these last few days before Christmas for a meeting with a dozen other Institute heads who are working to better their Institutes in the wake of the tragedy and severe wake up calls left behind by Valentine and Jonathan, so the task had fallen to Magnus.  

He was determined to wrap the gifts the mundane way, to put the same time and effort into wrapping them that he’d put into buying them.

Four hours, 5 wasted rolls of wrapping paper, and too much tape stuck in too many places later he’s beginning to think this isn’t going to be possible. That maybe he should just cut his losses, magic the mess away and the gifts perfectly wrapped and never, ever tell his husband about what happened here today.

That plan of course immediately flies out the window at the sound of the front door opening and closing and familiar footsteps walking their way towards them.

Alec’s smile beams when he spots Magnus in the center of the living room, but his eyes widen when he looks at the chaos surrounding his husband.

“Hello, dear,” Magnus says smiling up at Alec acting as if he’s not sat in the center of a tornado of bows, paper, tape and presents, a roll of paper somehow impossibly completely stuck to his arm and a pair of scissors in the other hand attempting to cut himself free. “You’re home early! How was Romania?”

“Hey, babe,” Alec says picking his way through wads of paper cautious not to accidentally step on any of the actual gifts. “It was good, got a lot done actually. You seem like you’ve been busy?”

Magnus shrugs nonchalantly still attempting to cut the paper free from his arm but the angle is proving to be difficult, “A bit.”

Alec reaches him leaning down to place a chaste kiss on his lips before brushing some bows to the side to sit on the floor in front of Magnus. He reaches out gently taking the scissors from Magnus’ hand and helping him cut the last bit of paper away.

Magnus watches as Alec very carefully trims the paper free mindful of Magnus’ shirt then gently peels the tape from his sleeve. Even when he’s just setting Magnus free of a wrapping paper debacle he touches him with the gentle kind of care only a lover can. It’s a ridiculously sweet in a moment that’s just completely ridiculous.

Alec meets his eyes as he finishes, placing the scissors on the coffee table with a smile that says he’s trying not to laugh, “So I’m guessing none of the presents got wrapped?”

Magnus huffs faux annoyed crossing his arms; he finished one thank you very much. He tilts his head to the corner where Catarina’s gift sits, a new set of luxurious robes and slippers for the woman who works too hard. One look at the lump of wrapping paper you wouldn’t believe it was gift, more likely the garbage left behind after opening all the gifts. There are two types of completely un-matching paper on them all uneven and crinkled. He’d gotten so frustrated while wrapping them that he’d resorted to packing tape, simply covering them in their entirety. There’s a strong chance if they do give this gift to Catarina as is she’ll have to take to it with a box cutter to get it open.

Alec’s laughter doesn’t stay inside this time as he looks at the lump. As a point of principal Magnus forces down the smile that the sound would usually get out of him. He will not support his husband making fun of his abysmal wrapping skills.

“Well,” Alec says when his laughter dies down a bit. “She’ll definitely never guess what it is.”

Magnus rolls his eyes at Alec, reaching out to swat his chest lightly. Alec grabs Magnus’ hand before he can retract it untying a bit of ribbon from his finger that had gotten stuck earlier then bringing his fingers to his lips kissing the litter of paper cuts there.

“Injured and you’re laughing at me,” Magnus huffs, though the light kisses placed on every tiny cut are definitely making his voice sound a lot more fond than annoyed.

“I’m sorry,” Alec says genuinely with a smile on his lips as he places one last kiss to the silver band on his ring finger looking into Magnus’ eyes as he twines their fingers together.

Magnus smiles back, “Forgiven I suppose.” Magnus looks around them at the chaos of scraps featuring Santa’s, trees and little dogs in Christmas sweaters that litter the floor. There’s probably tape in the carpet that they’ll be peeling out for months to come. “I should probably clean this up,” he says gesturing with his free hand to magic away the mess.

“Wait,” Alec says gripping his other hand, the blue wisps wrapping around Alec’s fingers warm and welcoming. “We can still salvage this.”

Magnus is dubious, but not even two full hours later with mostly Alec’s handiwork everything in the living room is completely wrapped and tagged perfectly.

“How the hell did you get so good at this?” Magnus asks bewildered as he slides the last gift under the tree.

Alec shrugs from where he sits on the floor arms stretched out along the length of the couch, “Not sure, I just kinda am. You gotta let me have this one because you’re good at everything so there has to be one talent let for me.”

Magnus laughs as he sits next to Alec.  He stretches one leg out and tangles the other with Alec’s as he pulls Alec’s arm down from the couch to wrap around his shoulders. Magnus snaps his fingers dimming the lights in the room and turning on the glimmering tree.

“You have plenty of talents,” Magnus says wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Alec rolls his eyes pulling Magnus in closer and placing a kiss on the top of his head. He pulls back abruptly Magnus looking up at him as Alec pulls a piece of large clear packing tape from his hair.

Alec raises an eyebrow looking seriously into Magnus’ eyes, “No more tape for you.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was actually just me projecting my inability to wrap a gift onto Magnus :) 
> 
> Thank you for reading, one more holiday fluff to go! Find me on tumblr: alecmagnuslwb


End file.
